Sign up for afaqs! Newsletters
The PUMA logo will feature on the nape of the jersey and its wordmark on the shorts.
In a first-of-its-kind partnership, PUMA has solidified its commitment to back India’s indigenous sports by becoming the official kit partner of Pro Kabaddi League (PKL) outfit Haryana Steelers.
With its legacy, Kabaddi holds a special place in India. PUMA, embracing Kabaddi’s rich heritage through its partnership with Haryana Steelers, has intensified its vision of supporting and investing across sporting disciplines including hockey, football, cricket, boxing, and track and field. With this association, PUMA also aims to strengthen its bond with the passionate kabaddi community of the country.
Haryana Steelers, owned by JSW-Sports, has had a historic run and will be playing in the finals in the ongoing season of PKL. As part of the deal, the PUMA logo features on the nape of the jersey and its wordmark on the shorts.
Commenting on this collaboration, Shreya Sachdev, head, marketing, PUMA India, said, "We are extremely excited for our partnership with Haryana Steelers. This association not only marks our entry into the world of Kabaddi but also reflects our drive to safeguard and promote India’s sports culture and heritage.”
Shreya adds, “Our brand film with Haryana Steelers gives a positive spin to the colloquial phrase ‘Hadd Paar Kar Di' as a metaphor to showcase resilience, determination, and relentless pursuit of excellence, not just in Kabaddi but also in life. As a brand, PUMA embodies the same values, and the partnership comes as part of our commitment to breaking limits in the world of sports.”
“I am really happy to see a brand of PUMA’s stature venture into Kabaddi as it will definitely help grow our sport. All of us at Haryana Steelers are proud to be kitted by them this season, and look forward to the partnership,” said Haryana Steelers’ co-captain Mohit Nandal.
“JSW-Sports has had an amazing relationship with PUMA over the years, on the back of the longest-standing apparel partnership in Indian sport and through the partnership with Bengaluru FC. It’s really amazing to have an aspirational and international brand foray into Kabaddi, which is great not only for Haryana Steelers but also for sport in general. We are really excited to roll out our licensing and merchandising program with PUMA, to make sure that quality kits are available to our fans. Through this association, we aim to create some Kabaddi-centric grassroots programs in the time to come,” said Divyanshu Singh, COO, of JSW-Sports.
According to the release, Kabaddi is the second most followed sport in India with 23% of urban Indians watching and following it, state global public opinion and data company YouGov’s ‘Indian Cricket Fandom Report 2023’. Pro Kabaddi League is also the second biggest sporting property in India, reflecting the league’s large-scale fandom in the country.
As a brand, PUMA has forged partnerships with diverse sporting teams, encompassing global and Indian football giants such as Manchester City, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Mumbai City FC, and Bengaluru FC, as well as the Indian Premier League teams Royal Challengers Bangalore, and Delhi Capitals.
The brand also boasts a star-studded lineup of ambassadors featuring Virat Kohli, Usain Bolt, Neymar Jr and Sunil Chhetri, MC Mary Kom, and cricketers Harmanpreet Kaur and Mohammed Shami.
Additionally, PUMA has demonstrated its versatility and commitment to supporting emerging sports and activities by venturing into the thriving competitive Esports industry in India through kit partnerships with organisations like Revenant Esports and